Leon P. Kerr

Leon was born on December 25, 1934 in Pottstown, PA to Elwood and Dorothy Kerr.  Leon was so proud that he was born on Christmas.  He was the 5th child of 6 brothers and sisters. He tells everyone the worst Christmas he ever had was when his sister Carol was born 12 years later to the day on Christmas and his mother was in the hospital.  He walked through the snow to the movies and all he kept saying is, "Carol could have waited one more day." But as he got older he told everyone because they were born on Christmas 12 years apart, that is why they out-lived their brothers and sisters.

"There wasn't much money growing up.  So, me and my friends always collected bottles and rags, and trapped to get enough money to buy a cinnamon bun.  We also ran a lot through the fields, and played baseball and basketball.  Bobby Moyer and I went trapping before school.  Edy couldn't believe that I could get up that early.  I had to walk down Grant St. (Chicken Hill) to school and back up-- school was never called off for snow.  When I broke my foot I still had to walk up and down that hill on crutches.  After school I would go to the recreation center to play basketball.  Mr Dick Richetts ran the center. He was like a father to me.  As I got older I refereed the games between Pottstown and other teams."  

"When I was 10 I wanted to be a caddy at the country club.  The head of the caddies said if I could carry two golf bags full of clubs for nine holes, then I could have the job.  I did it and became a very good caddy.  Clubs were a lot heavier then they are now.  I learned a lot about golf; I was on the school golf team.   I played a lot of golf until I went into the Army.  I worked a lot of jobs in high school because I like to dress well.  Picked apples, made underwear, and worked at the best men's shop in Pottstown.  I took wood shop in school and made beautiful wood furniture and crafts until we moved to 13th Avenue and had no place to work on my wood crafts."  

"I graduated from Pottstown High School class of 1952 as an Honor Student. After graduation, I went to work at Jacob Patton's shop until March 1957, when I enlisted in the Army.  I took basic training in Kansas.  He always said I would never go back to Kansas. After basic I was stationed in Germany where I was on the rifle and pistol team. I was honorably discharged April of 1959"

"My sister, Janet, and brother-in-law, Vince Giangiacomo, introduced me to Edythe Schoen(Edy).  We got married May 14, 1960;  spent sixty-one years together.  We moved to Coatesville and lived in the home Edy was raised in."

"When I got out of the service I worked at Jacob's but didn't like to drive from Pottstown to Coatesville.  I then worked for Washington National Insurance.  When our first son, Kevin, was born in 1963, I went to work at Lukens Steel Company in the research department until 2009.  I loved my job and didn't want to retire.  I had worked for all five of the companies that owned the steel mill.  The thing I liked most about retiring was babysitting our grandchildren."

"After Edy and I started our family, and when our friends in Pottstown and Coatesville started their families, we drifted apart...  but we spent almost every Saturday night at the Giangiacomo's, where my family, and my brothers and sisters and their families went on Saturday night.  As everyone's children got involved with activities, families spent most of their time with their children's activities."  

Edy and Leon raised four children; Kevin, Denise, Leon (Lee) and Linda.  When the children were growing up, Leon was a cub scout leader to Pack 36 at Friendship School, on the Troop 51 Boy scout committee.

"I took Kevin and Denise to West Caln Sportman's club to shoot Bow and Arrow and Jr rifle. We traveled to their competitions, and to parades and dance shows for Denise.  Edy and I were always involved in our children. I was assistant baseball coach for Kevin and Lee.  I loved my family get-togethers.  We camped a lot as the children were growing up and went to Rehoboth beach to my in-laws home."

"As the children grew up and settled into lives of their own, I was always so proud of them.  As they started their families I was a very proud grandfather. Edy and I loved going to all the activities the grandchildren were in and spending time with them.  As they grew up and got married and had a family of their own... I was so proud of the family and the family was always our entire focus. I loved the times we could all get together. All of my children and grandchildren were always there to help us."

"As Edy and I became empty nesters we moved to 13th Avenue in Coatesville and then 1220 Stirling Street where we lived till I got sick, and then we moved to Sunrise of Exton."

Leon was a member of Lukens guild, old Caln Meetinghouse,  Brandywine Goddard Masonic Lodge #383 and the Dept 56 Club. 

Edy and Leon traveled with friends from Dept 56-- they loved weekend trips to Delaware, Maryland and Ohio, and also October trips to a friend's house in Myrtle Beach. They also loved antique stores, flea markets, their home, yard and family.

He is survived, in addition to his wife, by four children; Kevin S. Kerr and wife Cheryl of Honey Brook, Denise L. McGonigal of Skippack, PA, Leon W. Kerr and wife Danielle Kerr of Pottstown, Linda J. Hart and husband Gene of Long Neck, DE, eight grandchildren; Tabitha (Travis) Roy, Travis (Catherine) Kerr, Kolton Kerr, Josh (Jordan) Hart, Dylan Hart, Celia, Olivia, and Amelia Kerr, six great grandchildren; Tucker, Tessa, Taryn Roy, Jace Hart and two on the way and our little dog Lillie who ran the home. Sister Carol (Richard) King, sister-in-law Linda Kerr and eight nieces and seven nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents: Elmwood and Dorothy Kerr, brothers David, Dick, Doug Kerr and sisters Janet Giangiacomo, Joan Eagle, brothers in law Bob Eagle, Vince Giangiacomo, and sister in law Paula Kerr, and in laws Walter and Marian Schoen.

To quote Leon " I had a wonderful life with family and friends till Alzheimer's took over.  Now it's time to say Good Bye, don't cry, be happy for me as now I can have a good life not like I had with Alzheimer's.  I want to thank everyone in my family. friends and Sunrise who were always there for me." 

The family wants to thank everyone in the family, friends at Sunrise, and also Holisticare Hospice nurses Miriam and Auguste who helped with their care and love. 

Funeral services will be held on Friday August 13, 2021 at 11:00 AM at the Wilde Funeral Home, 434 Main St. Parkesburg, PA followed by interment at the Fairview Cemetery in Coatesville. Family and friends are also invited to attend the viewing from 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM. Masonic services will be conducted at 10:45 AM. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his memory to the Brandywine Goddard Lodge, #383 Permanent Fund, P.O. Box 72257. Thorndale, PA 19372.

Online condolences can be posted at www.wildefuneralhome.com